SongCast

SongCast is a US-based digital music distributor founded in 2006 by Nate Darko and headquartered in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The company uses a monthly subscription model starting at $5.99/month with 100% royalty retention and no per-album annual renewal fees. SongCast charges one-time setup fees of $19.99 per album or $9.99 per single (waived for the first submission). The platform distributes to 13+ platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Amazon Music, Tidal, YouTube Music, Pandora, SoundCloud, Facebook/Instagram, Napster, Shazam, and MediaNet. SongCast is non-exclusive with no long-term contracts, giving artists month-to-month flexibility. The company has paid out approximately $24 million to artists since launch and has an annual revenue of $2.6M.

Pricing and Plans

SongCast uses a monthly subscription model with one-time setup fees:

• Standard ($5.99/month): 100% royalties, monthly accounting and royalty payments, unlimited artists and tracks in your account, free UPC and ISRC codes, free public storefront/profile, daily stats and earnings tracking.
• One-time setup fees: $19.99 per album or $9.99 per single. Waived for the first submission. No annual renewal fees per album after the initial setup.
• Indie Artist Radio ($2.99 per track per month): Broadcast your music across Indie Artist Radio, ShoutCast Networks, TuneIn Radio, and iTunes Radio. Can be used in conjunction with music distribution or standalone.

The monthly model at $5.99/month ($71.88/year) is more expensive than DistroKid ($24.99/year) when calculated annually. However, the month-to-month flexibility means you can cancel anytime without paying for a full year. If you only need distribution for 3 months, SongCast costs $17.97 plus setup fees, versus $24.99 for a full year of DistroKid.

The one-time setup fees ($19.99 per album, $9.99 per single) are additional costs on top of the monthly subscription. For an artist releasing 4 singles per year, the total cost is $71.88 (monthly) plus $29.97 (3 singles at $9.99 each, first one free) = $101.85 for the first year. This is significantly more expensive than DistroKid ($24.99/year for unlimited releases).

What Sets SongCast Apart

1. Monthly subscription with no annual commitment: SongCast charges monthly, not annually. This gives you flexibility to cancel anytime without paying for a full year upfront. Most distributors require annual payment.
2. 100% royalties with no commission: SongCast takes 0% of your royalties. You keep everything you earn from streaming and downloads. The company makes money from the monthly subscription and one-time setup fees, not from your earnings.
3. No annual renewal fees per album: Unlike TuneCore, which charges annual renewal fees per release, SongCast charges a one-time setup fee per release with no recurring per-release charges. Once you pay the setup fee, your release stays live as long as your monthly subscription is active.
4. Unlimited artists and tracks in one account: The $5.99/month subscription covers unlimited artists and tracks. Your fee does not increase as you add more music. Compare this to DistroKid, which charges more for additional artist names.
5. Non-exclusive with no long-term contracts: SongCast operates on non-exclusive terms with no long-term contracts. You can leave anytime and take your music with you.
6. Free UPC and ISRC codes: SongCast provides free UPC and ISRC codes for your releases. Some distributors charge for these.
7. Free public storefront/profile: SongCast provides a free public storefront and profile page for artists to showcase their music.
8. Indie Artist Radio broadcasting: SongCast offers a unique radio broadcasting service that puts your music on Indie Artist Radio, ShoutCast Networks, TuneIn Radio, and iTunes Radio for $2.99 per track per month. This is a promotional channel that most distributors do not offer.
9. iTunes Daily Trending Reports: SongCast provides access to iTunes Daily Trending Reports and Apple and Spotify daily analytics, giving artists detailed performance data.
10. 18 years in business: Founded in 2006, SongCast is one of the older digital distributors. The company has paid out approximately $24 million to artists since launch.

Submission and Upload Process

1. Create a SongCast account with your name, artist/label name, email, and country.
2. Choose a subscription plan (starting at $5.99/month).
3. Upload your audio files and artwork to SongCast's secure servers.
4. Pay the one-time setup fee ($19.99 per album or $9.99 per single, waived for first submission).
5. SongCast automatically delivers your music to 13+ digital music services.
6. Track daily stats and earnings through the dashboard.
7. Receive monthly accounting and royalty payments.
8. For radio promotion: Add Indie Artist Radio at $2.99 per track per month.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Only 13+ platforms. SongCast distributes to only 13+ platforms, which is significantly fewer than DistroKid (150+), Too Lost (450+), DistroVibe (450+), or even Magroove (40+). You miss out on regional platforms, niche stores, and many international services.
• Monthly subscription is expensive annually. At $5.99/month, SongCast costs $71.88/year. DistroKid costs $24.99/year. Too Lost costs $19.99/year. Magroove DIY costs $9.99/year. SongCast is 3 to 7 times more expensive than competitors when calculated annually.
• One-time setup fees add up. The $19.99 per album and $9.99 per single setup fees are additional costs on top of the monthly subscription. For frequent releasers, these fees accumulate quickly. 12 singles per year costs $119.88 in setup fees alone (first one free, 11 at $9.99 each).
• No publishing administration. SongCast does not provide publishing admin. You need separate PRO and MLC registration.
• No sync licensing. No built-in sync placement service.
• No YouTube Content ID. Not prominently featured as a service.
• No royalty splits. Not prominently featured. If you need automated collaborator splitting, use DistroKid, Too Lost, or Stem.
• Inconsistent delivery times. Users report that upload and release times vary significantly depending on the platform. Sometimes delivery takes days, sometimes weeks. This makes it difficult to coordinate release campaigns.
• BBB rating of B. SongCast has a B rating from the Better Business Bureau, which is not the highest rating. Some users have reported issues with recurring charges that are difficult to cancel.
• Small company. SongCast has 5 employees, which is very small. Support capacity is limited.
• Outdated platform. SongCast's platform and interface are older than most competitors. The user experience may not match newer distributors like DistroKid, Too Lost, or DistroVibe.
• Limited features compared to competitors. SongCast does not offer many features that competitors include as standard, such as AI mastering, vinyl pressing, merch storefronts, or Fan-Powered Royalties.
• Recurring charge complaints. Some users report being charged monthly for years without being able to cancel easily. One user reported being charged 5.99 EUR every month since 2020, amounting to $473, despite multiple attempts to block the charges.

Who SongCast Is Best For

SongCast is best for artists who want month-to-month flexibility with 100% royalties and no annual commitment. If you only need distribution for a few months (for a specific release campaign or project), the monthly model may be cheaper than paying for a full year of a competitor. The Indie Artist Radio broadcasting service is a unique promotional channel that may appeal to artists in specific genres.

SongCast is less ideal for artists who want the best value (DistroKid, Too Lost, and DistroVibe all offer better pricing for annual subscriptions), artists who need maximum store coverage (SongCast's 13+ platforms is far fewer than competitors), artists who need publishing admin or sync licensing (use TuneCore, Songtradr, or Ditto), or artists who want a free tier (use RouteNote, ONErpm, or SoundOn). The monthly subscription model, while flexible, is significantly more expensive than annual subscriptions from competitors. For most independent artists, DistroKid, Too Lost, or DistroVibe offer better value, more features, and broader store coverage at a lower annual cost.

Related Resources

• Music Distribution Services Compared - Broader distributor comparison
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Project your earnings
• SongCast Official Website - Current pricing and sign-up